Theatrical



1P.l MJCHAPMAN. THEATRIGAL APPLIANGE.

` (No Model.)

Patented Mar. 11 1890.

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THBATRIGAL APPLIANGB.

No.. 423,372. Patented Mar. 11, 1890.

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UNITED STATES' FRANK M. CHAPMAN, `OF NET YORK, N. Y.

THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,372, dated March 11, 18,90.

Application filed January 23, 1890. Serial No. 337,823. (No model.)

having the idle-wheel al", which meshes with To al? whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, FRANK M. CHAPMAN,

` a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Appliances; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are used to produce stage effects in theaters and other places.

The object and nature of the invention will more fully appear from the subjoined description, and the novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which form part of this application, Figure l represents a front elevation; Fig. 2, a plan of the turn-table with parts broken vaway to show the trucks and rails; Fig. 3, a vertical sect-ion, and Fig. 1l a transverse section of the device.

A represents the stage-floor, through which a spindle a projects. This spindle is secured below the stage-floor in any desired manner. Upon the stage are placed the circular grooved tracks A and A2, made of sections a and a2, for supporting the turn-table A3, having trucks a3, the wheels of which run upon the rails, preferably in the grooves of the same. The turn-table is also provided with a, central opening or hub co5, through which the spindle a projects and prevents any lateral movement of the turn-table. This table is made up of sections or segments A4 of a circle, preferably eight in number, cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, to reduce their weight and to form iianges a, having openings for the securing-bolts a7. On the outer ends of the section is a rim a8, having teeth a9, and projecting above the outer supports of the blocks am. These blocks extend inwardly toward the center of t-he turntable and have inclined faces a, upon which are fixed cleats cl2, also inclined like the faces C012, to form a track for a horse or horses to propel the table.

Fixed upon the stage at diametrically-opposite points to each other are blocks C013 and @14. These blocks carry a iixed spindle C015,

and connects the teeth on the turn-table with the pinion a on the rollers A5 and A6, which carry an endless panorama A7.. The rollers A5 and A6 are stepped at their lower ends upon t-he stage-Hoor and the upper ends are journaled in the frame A8, which is guyed in place by any suitable means. It is provided with grooves als, through which the upper end of the panorama isinserted. The upper edge of the lpanorama is provided with a cord or cable properly secured thereto to prevent the end from slipping out of the same when the panorama is moved.

On one side of the stage a post or other device is secured to the floor of the stage, and from this post wires a, equal in number to the horses to be used on the turn-table, are extended to a point in front of the panorama and over that part of the turn-table that happens to be in front of the panorama. wires are secured to the horses in anydesired manner, but preferably to a singletree d20, having a continuous trace C021, which passes around the breast of the horse, and held in place by a shoulder-strap @22, as shown inthe drawings. Each of the wires am is passed through a block C623, and the end secured by any desired means.

If it be desired to draw one of the horses back or allow him to go forward, the wire can be slackened or tightened, as the case may be, to produce the desired result.

The operation of the device is as follows: One or more horses are placed upon the turntable at any desired point between the panorama and front of the stage and started. As the horsesare held back in the same manner as in the ordinary tread-mill, the horses will not advance until the wire is slackened. In the meanwhile the panorama is moving in the direction opposite to that in which Vthe horses are supposed to be moving'. This operation isaccomplished by means of the gear connection between the turn-table and the rollers of the panorama and the horses acting upon the surface of the turn-table to turn the same.

That I claim as new isl. The combination of a stage, aturn-table having teeth in its periphery and atrack upon These IOO its upper face, and a panorama mounted oYer the turn-taff'- @ad moving on aline substanthe turntable and moving,` on a line substan- Jially parallel with the front of the stage, and tially parallel with Jbhe front of the stage, having its rollers geared with the turn-table. and having its rollers geared with the turn- In testimony whereof I afx my Signature 5 table. in presence of two Witnesses.

2. 4The combination of a stage, a section turn-table having teeth in its periphery and' FRANK M., CHAPMAN. a track upon its upper face, a sectional track for the turn-table, a panorama-frame above 1o the turn-table, and 'a panorama mounted on Vtnesses:

GEO. R. BYINGTON,v S. J. VAN STAVOREN. 

